What is a headword?

Definition

A headword is the form which introduces an entry in a printed dictionary. It is the form by which a dictionary is sorted.

Depending upon the language, the headword for an entry may be the

base form, or
citation form.

Also known as:

entry form
entry word
lemma
lexical item

Context for this page:

Concept module: headword
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): H
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

© 2004 SIL International